Lower Elementary Assistant Teacher

Join our vibrant Montessori community where your passion for teaching is truly valued!

Title

Lower Elementary Assistant Teacher

Start Date

August 6, 2026

Reports to

Head of School

Hourly non-exempt, full-time; 10-month employee

Schedule

7:30 am - 4 pm Mondays - Fridays in-person; occasional evenings/weekends

Founded in 1965, Montessori Center School of Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The school boasts sixty years rich in a history of nurturing a lifelong love for learning among children ages 18 months through 6th grade – grounded in the Montessori method. An American Montessori Society Member School, MCS fosters independent, self‑motivated, confident, life‑long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world.

The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California.

MCS seeks an experienced educator to work collaboratively under a Lead Teacher in our Lower Elementary Montessori classroom. This is an opportunity to join a talented and committed staffulty and a vibrant community of students and families while supporting a classroom of approximately 24 children in grades 1–3 during these formative years of their Montessori learning journey.

Working in close partnership with the Lead Teacher and the broader elementary team, the Assistant Teacher helps curate a welcoming, orderly, beautiful, and resource‑rich environment and supports a high‑fidelity Montessori experience each day. In this role, you will foster students’ independence, curiosity, social development, and love of learning while contributing to a collaborative, reflective, and joyful classroom culture.

An Elementary Assistant Teacher at MCS performs the following duties:

• Support the Lead Teacher in maintaining a beautiful, orderly, and well‑prepared Montessori Lower Elementary environment that reflects high standards of care, organization, and intentionality.
• Assist in the daily work cycle, including preparing materials, supporting lessons with strong overview, reinforcing Montessori routines and expectations, and implementing the school’s progressive discipline ladder.
• Deliver small‑group and individual lessons as directed by the Lead Teacher, grounded in the Montessori curriculum and aligned with the school’s curriculum maps and pacing guides.
• Build warm, respectful, and trusting relationships with students, supporting a classroom culture that fosters equity, agency, confidence, community, and belonging.
• Reinforce age‑appropriate social‑emotional learning, helping students practice regulation, collaboration, and problem‑solving throughout the day.
• Support students in developing executive functioning skills, independence, and conflict‑resolution strategies with Montessori practices; support the management of individual students’ behavior support plans in partnership with the Student Support team.
• Help maintain a classroom environment that ensures safety, consistency, and predictability; uphold school‑wide behavioral expectations and support the implementation of progressive discipline.
• Participate in required supervision duties (recess, lunch, arrival/dismissal) in compliance with California labor regulations regarding rest and meal breaks.
• Partner with the Lead Teacher and Director of Operations to prepare, organize, and manage classroom materials and supplies within established budgets and procurement guidelines.
• Under the direction of the Lead Teacher, monitor students’ academic and developmental progress through observation and documentation, utilizing observations, assessment data (e.g., NWEA MAP Growth), and daily classroom insights to inform instructional support and student scaffolding.
• Assist with conference preparation and documentation for family conference cycles as needed.

Family Engagement

• Support a culture of positive, respectful, and professional communication with parents and caregivers.
• Follow school‑wide communication protocols when sharing student information.
• Greet families warmly during arrival, dismissal, and school events, helping foster…